Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFESKO2’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘DLFESKO2’, characterized by its upright plant habit; uniform growth habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; durable and robust dark green-colored leaves; strong upright flowering stems; decorative-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray florets; relative tolerance to high and low production temperatures; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum X morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DLFESKO2’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR/APPLICANT & ASSIGNEE

The Inventor/Applicant and Assignee assert that no publications nor advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor/Applicant and/or the Assignee. Inventor/Applicant and Assignee claim a prior art exception under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosure and/or sales prior to the filing date but less than one year prior to the effective filing date.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum x morifolium, typically grown as a cut flower Chrysanthemum and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘DLFESKO2’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new cut flower Chrysanthemum plants with unique and attractive inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum x morifolium ‘DLFESKO3’, not patented. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘DLFESKO3’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in October, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since October, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DLFESKO2’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DLFESKO2’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit; uniform growth habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Durable and robust dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Strong upright flowering stems.     -   5. Decorative-type inflorescences with bright yellow-colored ray         florets.     -   6. Relatively tolerant to high and low production temperatures.     -   7. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of the mutation parent, ‘DLFESKO3’, in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are bright yellow in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘DLFESKO3’ are light pink in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘DLFETRW1’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 17/833,796, filed concurrently, in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are bright yellow in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘DLFETRW1’ are yellow and white in color.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘Delispinelli’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Delispinelli’ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of the new Chrysanthemum are bright yellow in color whereas ray florets of plants of ‘Delispinelli’ are pure white in color. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have denser inflorescences than plants of ‘Delispinelli’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering stem of ‘DLFESKO2’ grown as a disbud-type cut flower.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of upper (left) and lower (right) surfaces of typical inflorescences and typical leaves of ‘DLFESKO2’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the early spring in ground beds in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial cut Chrysanthemum production. Plants were initially given long day/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatments to induce flower initiation and development. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 25° C., night temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 22° C. and light levels averaged 7 klux. Plants were grown as single-stem disbud-type plants and were ten weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum X morifolium ‘DLFESKO2’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum     x morifolium ‘DLFESKO3’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About four days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six days at             temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 13 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 15 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically creamy white in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous decorative-type cut             flower that is typically grown as a single stem disbud-type;             upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth             rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 82.5             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of inflorescence             plane.—About 84.7 cm.         -   Plant (spray) diameter.—About 19.5 cm.         -   Flowering stem length.—About 79.4 cm.         -   Flowering stem diameter.—About 7.5 mm.         -   Flowering stem internode length.—About 2.5 cm.         -   Flowering stem strength.—Strong.         -   Flowering stem aspect.—Erect.         -   Flowering stem texture and luster.—Densely pubescent;             slightly glossy.         -   Flowering stem color, developing.—Close to 144A.         -   Flowering stem color, developed.—Close to 147B; at the             ridges, close to 147D.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:             About 13.7 cm. Width: About 9.4 cm. Shape, in overall             outline: Broadly ovate to broadly oblong. Apex: Abruptly             acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed, coarsely             dentate to serrate; sinuses parallel to divergent and medium             in depth; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Moderately pubescent, not rugose; moderately             velvety; slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface:             Densely pubescent, not rugose; slightly velvety; slightly             glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper surface: Close to 137C. Developing leaves, lower             surface: Close to 138B. Fully developed leaves, upper             surface: Close to a blend of NN137A and 139A; venation,             close to 146B. Fully developed leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147B; venation, close to 146B. Petioles: Length: About             1.2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm by 5 mm. Strength: Moderately             strong. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface:             Close to 147C; edges, close to 137A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 146D; edges, close to 147B. Stipules: Quantity and             appearance: Two leafy stipules, opposite, at the petiole             attachment to the stem. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About             1.8 cm. Shape: Broadly reniform; apex, short apiculate;             base, broadly cuneate; margins, coarsely dentate to cleft.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Moderately pubescent;             slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely             pubescent; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Darker             than a blend of NN137A and 139A. Color, lower surface: Close             to 147B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Decorative-type inflorescence form with tubular             ray florets with flared apices and tubular disc florets;             inflorescences, rotate and flattened hemispherical in             overall shape; inflorescences borne perpendicular to             peduncles and face upright; ray and disc florets develop             acropetally on a capitulum.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; typical of Chrysanthemums.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower             in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere; at other             times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development             can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at             least 13.5 hours of darkness); uniform flowering habit and             short response time, plants exposed to two weeks of long             day/short night conditions after planting followed by             photoinductive short day/long night conditions flower about             54 days later when grown as a disbud-type.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;             after a seven-day storage period, cut flowers will maintain             good color and substance for about two weeks in an interior             environment; inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Typically grown as a             disbud-type, only the terminal inflorescence is allowed to             develop.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11.6 cm. Depth (height):             About 4.3 cm. Disc diameter: About 1.2 cm; inconspicuous.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 cm.             Shape: Broad flattened rhomboidal. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About             1.4 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster:             Moderately pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Developing             involucral bracts, close to 137B and 138A; developing ray             florets, close to N144A.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 700 arranged in             about 15 whorls. Length: About 3.8 cm, varying between 1 cm             and 5.5 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm, varying between 0.2 cm and             2.4 cm. Shape: Tubular with flared apices; proximally, 72.5%             of the floret fused. Apex: Five-parted, acute. Base: Fused.             Margin: Free part, entire; not undulate. Aspect: About 40°             from vertical, varying from 5° to 75° from vertical. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper and             lower surfaces: Close to 157C; towards the apex, close to             150D. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 5C;             venation, close to 5C; color does not change with subsequent             development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 130 randomly             arranged at the center of the receptacle. Length: About             6 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Tubular; proximally,             80% of the floret is fused. Apex: Acute. Margin, free-part:             Entire. Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, when opening, inner and             outer surfaces: Apex: Close to N144C. Mid-section and             towards the base: Close to 145D. Color, fully opened, inner             and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to N144C. Mid-section and             towards the base: Close to 145D.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About 140             arranged in about five whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 4 mm. Shape: Narrowly oblong to narrowly ovate. Apex:             Bluntly acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Moderately pubescent; slightly             glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 143A and 143B;             lateral margins, translucent and close to 157C and apical             margins tinged with close to N199A. Color, lower surface:             Close to 137A and 137B; lateral margins, translucent and             close to 157C and apical margins tinged with close to N199A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 146B; at             the ridges, close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Quantity: About five per floret. Filament length:             About 2.5 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther size:             About 0.75 mm by 2 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther             color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Scarce to moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 13A. Gynoecium: Present on both ray             and disc florets. Quantity: One per floret. Pistil length:             About 6 mm. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color: Close to             151D. Stigma diameter: About 1 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft,             decurrent. Stigma color: Close to 153C. Ovary color: Close             to 144C.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     been observed to be resistant to Fusarium (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.     chrysanthemi). To date, plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not     been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to     Chrysanthemum plants grown under commercial conditions. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −12° C. to     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘DLFESKO2’ as illustrated and described. 